To Love and To Protect
by cherylwoo
Summary: Arthur and Yao are held captive by a mad person. Rated for sexual situations. England/China.


A/N – This is a rather short fic inspired by a prompt on the kink meme, but not written just for it. I'm so sorry – this is quite badly written, but the plot bunny wouldn't leave my head until I wrote it down. So… my apologies.

"No! Please!"

Arthur jolted to his senses when he heard Yao's voice. He was lying on a hard surface. It was also clear he was no longer at home – somehow, the air smelt different – it smelt somewhat stale.

"Do anything you want to me, but please… please don't touch him, aru!" It was no doubt Yao's voice.

Who was Yao pleading to? What did he mean by "don't touch him"?

Arthur could hear the leer in the voice belonging to the man that Yao was talking to. "Then you are going to be a good little bitch for me, aren't you?"

A sniff was heard. Arthur assumed it belonged to Yao.

Arthur tried to open his eyes and move his limbs, but they seemed to be too heavy for him to lift.

The soft shuffle and crumpling of cloth could be heard.

"Suck."

Arthur's heart sank. He could tell by the tone of the man's voice that he wanted to do very inappropriate things to Yao.

For a moment, Arthur could not hear anything. He had to strain his ears to listen to what was going on.

After a long pause, which seemed like an eternity to Arthur, the sounds of unmistakable sucking could be heard. The other person's moans of pleasure soon joined the sucking sounds.

"That's enough for now. Get on your back."

Then, the click of a lock was heard. This was followed by the sound of quiet sobbing.

Arthur felt his heart wrench in sorrow. His Yao was crying and he couldn't do anything about it. He needed to do something… he needed to make Yao stop crying… he needed to stop whatever it was that was happening…

Arthur gathered all his strength and wrenched his eyes open. It was dim, so he could quickly adjust his eyes to the light. Slowly, and with much effort, Arthur turned his head towards the direction of the sounds. He could see the back of a large man, who was kneeling down on the ground. He looked like he was hovering over something. Arthur didn't need to think to know that the man was hovering over a helpless Yao.

At that moment, all Arthur saw was red. He was furious. Furious that a stranger would break into his home and knock out both him and Yao. By the feeling of it, it even looked like Arthur had been drugged. Furious that the stranger would kidnap both of them. Furious that the stranger was currently molesting Yao. Furious that the stranger was about to rape Yao. Oh, Arthur was enraged, all right.

First, Arthur tried to move his fingers. He tried flexing the fingers on his right hand. When Arthur managed to bend all five fingers, he was overjoyed.

Then, Arthur shifted his focus onto his left hand. It was easier than expected. Arthur supposed that once he got a few appendages moving, it was easier for the rest of his limbs to get back their mobility.

Eventually, Arthur managed to roll onto his side and get up. He perched himself on his trembling knees and looked around. The large man was too focused on what he was doing to Yao to notice Arthur shakily moving about behind him.

By then, Yao was sobbing harder, and so Arthur moved with more urgency.

From the corner of his eye, Arthur glanced a baseball bat lying on the ground not too far from where he was. His body and his hands were wobbly, but nevertheless Arthur reached forward to grab the bat.

The bat in his hands, Arthur tightened his grip on the bat. He wasn't sure if he could deliver a blow that would knock the man out in his current state.

But Arthur wouldn't know if he didn't try.

Arthur crept nearer to the stranger. He looked like he was pulling Yao's trousers down. Arthur lifted the bat, readying himself to whack the stranger with it. Then, with all his might, Arthur slammed the bat onto the man's head, effectively crashing him to the side and knocking him out.

The stranger's landed on the ground in a crumpled heap. Arthur gave his body a long glower to make sure he was out cold. He lifted the bat just in case he had to hit the man again. When he was sure that the man would not be waking up anytime soon, Arthur threw the bat to the side and scrambled to Yao's side.

Yao's eyes were wide open. It was obvious he was not expecting such a turn of events.

Arthur leaned forward and balanced his body over Yao's. He looked closely at Yao's tear-streaked face.

There was a mix of utter fear and relief on Yao's face. His hands were held in cuffs above his head in order to restrain him. His shirt had been lifted to his chest so that his stomach was showing. His pants had been completely removed, and his boxers hung loosely over his hips. It looked like the stranger was in the midst of taking off Yao's boxers when Arthur hit him over the head.

"Arthur!" gasped Yao. He was still crying.

"Oh god…" Arthur wheezed heavily. "I made it on time, I made it on time…"

Arthur ran a finger over Yao's neck, where his captor had left bruises and bite marks. "Does it hurt?"

Tearfully, Yao shook his head.

Arthur brushed Yao's tears away using his fingers. "Shh… it's okay, it's over," he consoled Yao and kissed his trembling form lightly on the head.

"Where's the key?" Arthur asked urgently, referring to the cuffs around Yao's wrists. He wanted to get out of there quickly, in case the blow he delivered to the stranger's head wasn't hard enough and he regained consciousness.

"I-I don't know, aru," Yao replied as he pulled his shirt down to cover his stomach. His voice was still choked. "Maybe it's on him?"

Arthur winced. He didn't want to touch this perverted man. Arthur hesitantly reached into the pocket in the man's pants. He brought out a bunch of keys.

Yao had hoisted himself into a sitting position and was holding his wrists out.

Arthur tried to unlock Yao's cuffs with all the keys in the bunch, but none of them could fit into the lock. Maybe it was because his hands were shaking too much, he didn't know. "Damn!" Arthur swore under his breath. "Nevermind," he told Yao. "Let's get you dressed and out of here first. I'm sure we can get a locksmith to unlock it."

Yao nodded as Arthur seized his trousers from the ground.

After helping Yao to put on his pants, Arthur quickly pulled Yao towards the exit. But the adrenaline that was coursing through his system that was allowing Arthur to move was quickly dissipating now that Yao was no longer in danger. As he took his first step, he stumbled and almost fell to the ground.

Yao yelped and caught Arthur with his bound hands before he hit the ground. "Watch out, aru!" he cried.

Arthur grunted and pulled himself up. "I'm okay…" he managed.

"Oh my god, you can barely stand!" exclaimed Yao.

"It's okay – I just need to…"

Yao then slung Arthur's arm over his shoulder so that Arthur could lean his body weight on him. "Come on, aru!" Yao dragged the both of them out.

They immediately reached a deserted road. Yao hauled Arthur along the road.

After a few meters, much to their luck, a police car drove past. Quickly, Arthur hailed the car.

The police car stopped in front of them and the passenger seat window came down. Three policemen peered curiously at Arthur and Yao.

Yao looked at Arthur unsurely. He really didn't know how to explain their situation.

"Hi. Hi!" Arthur panted breathlessly. "You have to help us!"

The three policemen gazed questioningly at Arthur.

"We were held hostage by this insane man a few houses back," Arthur said. He didn't feel like going into too much detail. "I knocked him out, and we escaped… but he may regain consciousness any time now!"

The three policemen exchanged a glance.

"I'll go and check it out," volunteered the policeman sitting in the back seat.

The policeman in the driver's seat nodded. "Yeah, you do that. Be careful. Page Smith if you find anything," he told his colleague as he got out of the car. "Meanwhile, the two of you get in. Is there somewhere I can take you?"

Yao glanced at Arthur. He looked like he was going to pass out. "To a hospital, please," Yao said.

"Why? What's wrong?" the policeman in the passenger seat asked.

"He..." Yao was looking worriedly at Arthur. Arthur had a dazed expression and dilated irises – it looked like he couldn't even focus properly. "I think my partner has been drugged, aru."

"No… wait…" Arthur mumbled. "Yao's hands…"

"What?" the two policemen inquired simultaneously.

"Uh," Yao held his bound hands up for the policemen to see.

"Oh, that's simple enough," said the policeman in the passenger seat. "I have a master key here – it can open almost any lock." He reached into the compartment and brought out a key attached to a keychain. He then stretched towards the back and unlocked the cuffs around Yao's wrists.

Yao thanked the policeman.

Arthur smiled to himself. At least he now knew that Yao would be alright. Then, Arthur saw black and he knew no more.

* * *

The two policemen dropped Yao and Arthur off at the hospital. They even escorted Yao and Arthur in and made sure a doctor attended to them before they left.

Yao explained to the doctor what he thought was wrong with Arthur. So the doctor drew some blood from an unconscious Arthur and performed a toxicology test.

As Yao waited for the results of the toxicology test, another policeman met him to take his statement. While taking Yao's statement, the policeman requested that a blanket be brought. When a nurse brought the blanket, he wrapped the blanket around Yao's body. Then, he told Yao that they had detained a man who was out cold in the area that Yao and Arthur had been picked up, just as Arthur had described.

"Oh thank you!" Yao said, shaking the policeman's hand. "Thank you, aru!"

The policeman nodded and gave Yao a friendly smile. "We'll give you a call if we need anything else, or to let you know how the case progresses."

"Okay," Yao replied.

When the policeman had left, Yao turned his attention back to Arthur's prone body lying on a spare bed in the waiting room. He gently ran his fingers through Arthur's hair, smiling affectionately at the man he loved.

As Yao thought back of the events of the day, he couldn't help but shudder at what could have transpired if Arthur hadn't knocked his captor out. He felt sick at the thought. He felt bile rise up in his throat. Yao coughed to drive out that sensation.

At that moment, the doctor in charge of Arthur returned with the results of the toxicology test.

Yao immediately stood up to greet him.

But the doctor waved a hand and gestured for Yao to sit back down. However, Yao remained standing. The doctor made his way closer to Yao so that they could converse privately. "The chemical in Mr Kirkland's system is not harmful – it interferes with his mobility and nervous system," the doctor told Yao. "But don't worry – his body will expel it by itself. All he needs is to sleep it off."

"Oh, thank god, aru!" Yao heaved a sigh of relief.

"Anyway, since we have a lot of spare beds and we would like to keep him here just in case his body has an adverse reaction to the drug, we'll admit him. You are free to stay with him if you'd like."

"Okay, thanks, doctor. Thanks so much!"

"Meanwhile, I suggest you grab something to eat from the cafeteria. I don't suppose you've eaten in a while, what with an ordeal like this," the doctor told Yao kindly. "When you're done, Mr Kirkland will be in room 209. That's on the second floor."

"Oh," began Yao sheepishly. "I don't have any money right now…"

The doctor chuckled. He put his hand into his pocket and brought out his wallet. From it, he pulled out a ten-dollar bill. He handed the money to Yao. "Go and buy something to eat. You really look like you need to eat something. It's on me, okay?"

Wide-eyed and surprised by the doctor's kindness, Yao hesitantly took the money from the doctor. "T-Thanks, aru," he said.

"Go," the doctor encouraged Yao. "Mr Kirkland will be fine."

"O… Okay," said Yao. He gave Arthur's body a long look before he turned around and left.

* * *

That night, Arthur woke up. He slowly opened his eyes. Briefly, Arthur wondered where he was, but when he saw the white ceiling and the white sheets of his bed, he realised he was in a hospital. He sniffed the air to make sure. It smelt of antiseptic – he was indeed in the hospital. It looked like the policemen who had picked them up had obeyed Yao's wishes to be brought to a hospital.

Arthur glanced sideways. He saw Yao snoozing quietly in a chair. Yao was clinging tightly onto a blanket which was draped over his body.

Arthur got out of bed. His legs were shaky at first, but when he took his first step, they steadied themselves and Arthur managed to make his way over to Yao's side.

Arthur ran his hand across Yao's cheek and brushed a lock of hair that had fallen in front of Yao's face. He then kissed Yao's forehead tenderly.

Yao began to stir. "Arthur?" he murmured as he blearily opened his eyes.

"Hey," Arthur smiled down at Yao.

As soon as he realised Arthur was up and on his feet, Yao scrambled up. He stood up and grabbed Arthur's shoulders. "Are you feeling better, aru?"

Arthur nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "How about you? Are you okay?" Arthur pressed his hands against the side of Yao's face and examined him carefully in concern.

Yao took Arthur's left hand and kissed the palm. "I'm fine. A bit shaken, but fine."

Arthur smiled gently. "I'm glad."

Yao took Arthur's hand and led him back into bed. "Get in, aru," Yao told Arthur gently. "You need the rest."

"I feel fine!" argued Arthur.

Yao smiled. "I know you do, love," he said. "But just rest, okay? The doctor said that you need to sleep off the drug."

"Okay, okay…" sighed Arthur as he got back into bed. He pulled the blanked up to his chin. "I'm only doing this for you, you know?"

Yao looked lovingly at Arthur. "I know, aru."

Arthur took Yao's hand in his and rubbed the back of Yao's hand with his thumb.

Yao cleared his throat. "By the way, while you were out, the police came and said that they have taken Ben into custody."

Arthur nodded. Then, realising what Yao had just said, his eyes widened and he frowned. "Ben? You know this guy?"

Yao looked at his hand. "Yes," he admitted.

Arthur stared at Yao.

Yao supposed that Arthur's silence meant that he should say something. "Ben's actually a customer at the café," Yao told Arthur. Yao worked part-time in a café as a barista. He didn't like coffee, but that didn't mean he couldn't make coffee.

"And?" Arthur prompted.

"Well," Yao shifted uncomfortably. "He has been making passes at me at work… but I mostly ignored him. It even got to the point where he would purposely touch and hold my hand when I served him coffee, aru. But I thought he was just boldly flirting, so I just brushed it off."

"Does he know that…?"

"Yes, he knows that I have a boyfriend. He thinks that as long as we're not married, we're not bound to each other and when we break up, the field is open for him, aru." Yao paused and looked at Arthur's unreadable expression. "But trust me – I had no idea he was insane!" Yao cried. "I had no idea that he would break into our home and kidnap us!"

Arthur's grip on Yao's hand tightened. "Okay, I understand why he took you, but why did he take me as well?"

Yao smiled bitterly. "Because you happened to be there. Because you happened to be at home, aru."

"What?"

"And also to keep me in check," said Yao quietly. "He knows how much I love you, and that I would never let anything happen to you."

"Oh, Yao…" Arthur murmured. He let go of Yao's hand and gathered Yao into his arms. "I love you too. I love you so much…"

Yao pressed his face against Arthur's shoulder and breathed in Arthur's scent. It was so comforting.

They stayed like that for a while, until finally, Yao broke apart from Arthur. "Are you hungry, by the way? I think the last meal you had was dinner yesterday."

Arthur looked thoughtful. "No… not really, actually. I am more thirsty."

Yao walked over to Arthur's side table and took the cup he had filled with water when Arthur was asleep. He gave the cup to Arthur. "Let me know if you want more, aru."

Arthur took the cup from Yao and gulped down the water. "I'm good. For now," he said, smiling. Arthur then placed the cup back onto the side table.

"Go back to sleep, aru," Yao told Arthur. "I'll be here when you wake."

Arthur grinned at Yao. "Join me?"

Yao was taken aback. "On the bed?" he asked incredulously.

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Arthur, I love you and all that, but don't you think hospital beds are only made for one person?"

"Well," Arthur twiddled his fingers. He wasn't looking at Yao. "You are really light, so with both our weights, it'll be just like one really obese person…" he reasoned.

Yao looked at Arthur in amusement.

"Please?" Arthur shot Yao his puppy-dog eyes.

Yao rolled his eyes. "You know I can't resist those eyes of yours, aru," he said to Arthur. "Alright."

Arthur pumped his fist in the air in victory. He then shifted and pulled the blanket down so that Yao could settle into bed with him.

Yao removed the blanket around himself and placed it on the chair he was sitting on. Then, he slipped into bed beside Arthur.

Arthur smiled to himself and encircled his arms around Yao's small body. Yao snuggled into his embrace. Arthur sniffed Yao's hair and kissed him on the head.

Then, the two of them fell asleep.


End file.
